The wife of Pennsylvania Senate candidate Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) dispelled any lingering questions as to what happened to traditional journalism when she sought “consequences” for NBC News’ Dasha Burns after an interview cast light on his “challenges with speech.”
Rather than report on the facts and let the public decide for themselves how to use that information, corporate media all too often has been documented running interference for proponents of leftist ideologies. When Burns bucked that trend earlier this week, Gisele Barreto Fetterman, the current second lady of Pennsylvania, criticized the journalist for the “disservice” done to her husband, slamming an accurate statement as “appalling to the entire disability community and I think to journalism.”
Her remarks came when Mrs. Fetterman joined Molly Jong-Fast for her podcast and was asked, “With that interview yesterday, when the journalist sort of took some liberties with her sort of supposition of his health, how did you feel?”
“I don’t like saying ‘rage’ because I think that’s a really unhealthy feeling. And when you feel those things, it only harms yourself. But I just, you know, what a disservice that she did to not only my husband,” Fetterman contended, “but to anyone facing a disability and working through it.”
LISTEN: Gisele Fetterman says NBC reporter @DashaBurns should face "consequences" for exposing her husband's inability to make "small talk" without a computer. pic.twitter.com/STQB8YDmjK
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 14, 2022
“And I don’t know how there were not consequences, right? I mean, there are consequences for folks in these positions who are any of the isms,” she carried on. “I mean, she was ableist and that’s what she was in her interview. It was appalling to the entire disability community and I think to journalism.”
As previously covered by American Wire, Burns explained of her “very different” interview with the candidate compared to an earlier sit-down in May, “You’ll hear him talk in a moment as I preview our conversation about needing closed captioning for this interview.”
“We had a monitor set up so he could read my questions because he still has lingering auditory processing issues as a result of the stroke, which means he has a hard time understanding what he’s hearing. Now once he reads the question, he’s able to understand. You’ll hear he also still has some problems, some challenges with speech,” the journalist said.
NBC News reports after interview: Fetterman ‘still has a hard time understanding conversations’ https://t.co/qedu220a8e
— American Wire News (@americanwire_) October 12, 2022
“I’ll say that just in some of the small talk prior to the interview before the closed captioning was up and running,” Burns went on, “it did seem that he had a hard time understanding our conversations and I’ll just let you take a listen to some of what we talked about here.”
“I haven’t heard an apology,” Mrs. Fetterman fumed. “It hasn’t come. I am hopeful that, you know, they will reflect and see that they did an incredible disservice to all Americans.”
She also attempted to insulate herself from criticism with a tweet against Burns’ interview, “Good morning to everyone except those making life more difficult for someone with a disability – like myself (ADHD) or the 26 million other Americans living with a permanent or temporary disability.”
Good morning to everyone except those making life more difficult for someone with a disability – like myself (ADHD) or the 26 million other Americans living with a permanent or temporary disability. 🤗❤️
— Gisele Barreto Fetterman (@giselefetterman) October 13, 2022
Meanwhile, before Fetterman’s defense of her husband’s undisclosed medical issues, Burns had stated clearly her only objective was striving for transparency, “We were happy to accommodate closed captioning. Our reporting did not and should not comment on fitness for office. This is for voters to decide. What we do push for as reporters is transparency. It’s our job. Fetterman sat down and answered our questions. That’s his job.”
We were happy to accommodate closed captioning. Our reporting did not and should not comment on fitness for office. This is for voters to decide. What we do push for as reporters is transparency. It’s our job. Fetterman sat down and answered our questions. That’s his job. https://t.co/gFZ02hlUs5
— Dasha Burns (@DashaBurns) October 12, 2022
Victimhood won over the argument from leftists willing to defend any shortcoming to maintain power (the ends justify the means), and the Twitter mob fell in line with Fetterman’s line of thought.
I struggled my whole life in Pennsylvania because of disabilities and Republicans made life impossible. Their policies hurt people and prevent them from a life of reasonable contribution and dignity. The fact that John’s partner understands this is such a bonus for our state.
— Julia means young at heart (@JulieChrysty) October 13, 2022
I was just thinking this morning how I would much rather have a senator who knows health challenges first-hand when he’s making decisions that affect all Americans than one who doesn’t even know where he lives.
— Therese Boyd (@Therese73212372) October 13, 2022
Shame on Mehmet Oz – and the media – for framing disability as a liability.
Disability can make an individual stronger, more resilient, more kind, and more understanding.
Qualities that would be good,
By the way, in a US Senator— Benjamin Abella, MD MPhil (@BenjaminAbella) October 13, 2022
I’ve lived with a severe leg disability from birth 72 years ago. When needed 99% of the people have lent a helping hand, even strangers. I’m a lucky one. But I’m sure if I ran for office I’d be attacked because of it.
— DavidB (@dbv154) October 13, 2022
Again, Burns wasn’t offering a commentary on the candidate’s ability to serve or his eligibility, she was explaining how the interview had been conducted and a spokesperson for NBC News stood up for the journalist and said, “Dasha is a widely respected beat reporter on the Pennsylvania Senate race and has provided in-depth reporting from the state for the better part of the last year. We stand behind her extensive coverage of all the important dimensions of this year’s Senate campaigns.”
However, that was outside the norm as others pointed out “her so-called colleagues” were not standing up for real journalism.
Don’t practice journalism against a Democrat. No one told Dasha Burns that. Now Burns is in real trouble. And almost none of her so-called colleagues will stand up for her. https://t.co/VHYSKNWcbR
— John Ocasio-Rodham Nolte (@NolteNC) October 14, 2022
Consequences?
We have journalists LYING DAILY ABOUT FAR WORSE.
Will we admit this is an attack on a journalist simply doing her job?
Or are Dems going to remain silent, and allow a Democratic candidate to 'pull a Trump' and attack any journalist that opposes them? https://t.co/KpqtAUhAm2
— Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) October 14, 2022
1- @JohnFetterman won’t release his medical records. He could.
Therefore no one knows what Fetterman suffers from or what his prognosis is. All we know is he had a stroke. The rest is hypocritical.@DashaBurns is not the villain. Her interview was fair. It was also revealing. https://t.co/5WA6h6uKSH
— IT Guy (@ITGuy1959) October 14, 2022
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